Tilting steering wheel



v.-w. PAGE TIL'IING STEERING WHEEL May 1, 1923. 1,453,990

Filed May 19. 1921 2 Sheets-Shet 1 avwmboz We T41? 14/562 v. WJPAGr TILTING STEERING WHEEL Filed May 19 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MT/VESSE'S 7Z4 a-4 Patented May 1, 1923.

sriss VICTOR w. PAGE, or KEW canna is; neutrons] rrtrnve srnnnrne wnnni..

Application filed May 19,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I. Vroror. W. PAt-Ji, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, Kew Gardens,-

vehicles.

It is one of the objects of the present vention to construct a steering wheel which is capable of swinging or tilting movement relative to the steering post in order that more easy access may be had to the drivers seat.

It is a further object of the invention to provide anew and improved locking means for securing the wheel in operative connection with the steering post. p

It is a still further object of the invention to so construct the steering wheel that its mounting may be contracted in order to provide a rigid structure when the wheel is operatively connected to the steering post.

Referring to the drawings- Figure 1 is a detail plan. view partly in section of a steering post constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the steering wheel in its tilted position;

Fig. 4: is a detail sectional view of one form of lock, taken on the line of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of a modified form of lock;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of astill further modified form of lock, and I Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1. the reference character 10 designates the steering post, and 11 designates a head splined to the post 10 by means of a key or the like 12.

This head is substantially T-shaped and in one of its ends it is provided with an opening or passageway 13, adapted for the re.- ception of a bolt 14. The opposite end of the head 11 is provided on the top face with stops in the form of integral lugs 15. The reference character 16 designates a steeringwheel and said steering wheel is provided with spokes 17 and 18. 'The'spokes her 19 into the spokes 17 are keris or slots '17 are formed with spider or yoke member 19, and extendlng from the yoke meme 20,the purpose of which will be hereinafter morespecificallydescribed: The spokes 18 terminate at} 21 and are connected rigidly with the sides .of'the spider oryoke 19. The

bolt 14 heretofore mentioned passes through the sides of the yoke as indicated by the reference character'23. and this boltforms the means by. which the steering wheel is pivotally mounted upon the head 11.

as shown in Fig. 4:; with a transverse passphei'ical members 27 'forced in opposite dlrec'tlons' by means of an lnte'rposedpoil T '70 The'o'pposite end of the head 11 is formed sage 25, and mounted in said passage is a shell 26. Mounted in the shell 26' are two spring 28. The sides of the yokeor spider 19 are notched as at 29. and adapted to receive the spherical members in such'amanner as to preventaccidentaldisplacement of said spherical members 27 from their re spective curved seats or notches 29 to mainta-in the, steering wheel in operative rela tion with the post-l0. The lugs 15 heretofore mentioned serve to limit the upward movement of the wheel.

In this form of the invention,,when'it is desired to tilt the wheel, sufiic ient pressure is exerted thereupon, and the spherical members 27 disengage their respective seats and permit of the wheel swinging to the positionshown in Fig. 3.

When it is' desired "to operatively connect the wheel with the steering post, the same is lifted until the spherical members engage their respective seats 29 and the sides or" the yoke 19 engage the lugs 15. in. which position the wheel will be operatively con-a nected with the steering post and will be 20 in the spokes 17 and thus permit of a:

tighteningof the several parts to prevent rattling thereof.

In Figure 5 is shown a slightly modified form of the invention and in this form the",

head'lO is formed with a vertical passage 35, in which is mounted a reciprocating member 36, having an inclined or tapered surface 37. This meniber 36 is provided with an elongated portion 38, the lower end of which is threaded to receive a nut 39. interposed between the nut 39 and the bottom of the head 11, is a coil spring d0 by means of which the member 36 is maintained in the position shown in 5.

Mounted for transverse sliding movement in the head 10, are opposed bolts 41, and eachot said bolts has 'a curved head &2 adapted to the incl'... d or id r portion 37 of the member interposed between these heads 42 and plate d3 secured to the sides of the head 10, arecoil springs l i which tend to force the inenibersl inwardly of the head member 10. These bolts ll are each adapted to engage a 4-5 in the side of the yoke or spider 1?) to prevent J. J* L1 1v m 1. 1o movement or we 3 2i 01 so in tively to the head 10.. p

The device operates in th following spider 19 is free to drop and pen it the wheel to move to "the position shown in Fig. 3.

In Figures 5 and 7 is shown a still fur ther modified form of the invention and in this form the yoke or spider 19 isprovided with recesses 51. Mounted upon the head 11 is a latch member 52 and said latch member rotated by means of an operating knob or the like 53. By this construction it will be apparent that as the operating knob is turned so that the latch member assnnie's a position at right angles to that shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the yoke 19 will be free to drop and permit the steering wheel to move to the position shown in Fig. 3.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention not only provides a steering wheel and locking means whereby the same may be operatively connected to thesteering post, but also provides for an adjustnient'tor taking up wear, said adjustment being in the form of bolts I l and 30, which serve to contract the yoke or spider 19 to the desired degree.

I claim: In a collapsible steering wheel, a head adapted to be carried by the steering post, a wheel, a yoke formed in the spokes of said wheel and adapted to embrace the head, said vioror. w. PAGE. 

